The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-06-18
HOW HE WON A VICTORY

army. Shortly after the war, MT. Jones, observing the marked atten- tion which the colonels and brigadiers were receiving, regretted that he had not picked up a commission which a disgusted friend had thrown upon the field; and indeed, he thought seri- ously of securing militia commis- sion, which was offered him by the governor, cheap for cash, but as he could not raise the money, and espe-. cially as the governor declined to credit him-even after the applicant had of fered him eut-throat mortgage on cotton crop-he decided that he must worry along without title. This so depressed him that instead of going into society, he was forced to read newspapers and study books; and, at night, while young Eph. and Dan swung bright calico at the dance given by old Uncle Billie, Jim Jones, hay ing built scaly bark fire, lay on his breast and worshiped Clay and Web- ster. During several years he coll tinued in this way, unnoticed and comparatively unknown. Sometimes he fell into such despondency that he would throw a bucket of water OH the fire, shove his yellow eat out of the back-door and strike out toward the dark and unattractive woods, but, re- penting of his rashness, he would re- turn and fall upon his meditative breast.
 One day a toothless and tobacco stained old fellow stopped at a field fence and, addressing Jones, said:
 "Jimmie, you air still peggin' along with your books an sich, l reckon?"
 "Yes, Uncle Gabe."
 "Makin' much outen it?"
 Not much, am grieved to say"
 ''Why don't you quit it?"
 "Because l want to amount to some- thing. 1 want to store my mind with useful knowledge so that I can serve my country"
 ''Wall, Jimmie, you have made a mighty po' start. You must do some- thing. It don't make no difference how much you know, you've got to show the folks what you can do. Book Parnin' is mighty fine, Jimmie, when you can j'ine it to some sort of usefulness. What sorter blow is that you air usin'."
 "A bull tongue" the young man re- piled.
 "I see," said the old man; "that it hitches under roots every few steps,"
 "Yes, it does"
 "Wall, do you find that it hitches any less to-day than it did yistidy?"
 No, it works about the same."'
 ''Ah, hah: but you studied your book last night, didn't you?"
 "Oh, yes"
 Wall; Jimmie, if studyin' my book didn't help my work none-didn't make my blow go easier-I'll be blasted if l didn't study my blow a while. That's all, Jimmie"
 That night, while young Jones was reading that thrilling political TO- nance, "Benton's Thirty Years in the United States Semte," the old mans words came back to him and, putting aside the book, and showing the yellow cat out of his way, he got up and walked the floor in deep contempla- tion, Just before day he went to a neighboring blacksmith's shop, and, by the time the sun had dried the dew he was the author of an improved jump ing coulter. The implement proved at once to be success. It could jump higher and farther than any coulter that had ever appeared before the pub lie, and the farmers throughout the neighborhood came forward and heaped praises upon the young man who had forsaken the dark corner of idleness and who had at last come out into the sunlight of useful life. At the next election he was given a seat in the legislature and shortly after ward he was sent to congress. His election to the United States senate came about in rather q remarkable manner. During several days three candidates, with about equal strength, had held the legislature in dead lock, when, one morning while MT. Jones was drinking a weak lemonade with the low gurgle of despair, a member of the lower house approached him and said:
 "Jim, something has jest nachully got to be did"
 @I know that, Abe"
 Eur ef something ain't jest nachully did," Abe continued, Athe dead lock is goiH to break agiR you. was thinkin' of q scheme, Jim, that. think will work"
 "What is it?" Jones asked as he put l